Ian Werther

A Korea Gallup poll released this week shows the ruling Democratic Party with 47 percent support among survey respondents, up one point from the previous reading. The main opposition People Power Party trails at 20 percent, down one point. Parties outside the five major groups collectively register small shares, while

The Korea Customs Service has designated gasoline, diesel and kerosene as items subject to a late-declaration surcharge under a crackdown on hoarding and speculative stockpiling of petroleum products. The move aims to prevent delays in reporting imports or long stays in bonded storage in response to rising oil prices. Under

A cold and cloudy weekend is forecast across South Korea, with a particularly wide day-to-night temperature swing on Saturday the 14th. Inland areas could see a gap of about 15 degrees Celsius between daytime highs and overnight lows. Residents are advised to bring light outerwear when going outdoors. The Korea

KRAFTON, the South Korean game developer behind PUBG, and Hanwha Aerospace have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a strategic alliance focused on physical artificial intelligence, spanning research, development, and commercialization in areas including defense. Under the MOU, the two companies will jointly research and develop core physical AI

A truth-seeking hearing into the 10.29 Itaewon disaster opened its first session in Seoul, more than three years after the tragedy, with a focus on accountability and lessons for public safety. The hearing took place at the Bankers’ Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, as the Special Investigation Committee for Truth-Finding

The Korea Meteorological Administration says this weekend, 13–14, will be largely cloudy across the country, but there is no forecast for rain or snow. People planning outdoor activities should be able to go ahead without weather-related worries. For Saturday, forecasters expect a morning low of -4 to 4 Celsius

The Financial Times reported that two weeks into renewed fighting with Iran, the United States has burned through key long-range weapons and strained munitions stocks, raising concerns about costs, supply, and future readiness. Tomahawk cruise missiles, produced by RTX, cost about $3.6 million each. U.S. forces bought only

The U.S. Department of Defense is expected to request up to $50 billion in additional military spending in the coming days as the conflict with Iran enters its third week. Washington officials view the funding as needed to sustain operations and replenish weapons stocks amid rapid usage. Long-range missiles

A Korean financial watchdog foundation has released survey results showing that while many adults invest in funds or ETFs, a substantial share of high-risk leveraged and inverse ETFs are taken on by investors who do not fully understand their risk structures. About six in ten respondents who invested in high-risk

The Democratic Party of Korea has moved to contain fallout from a controversy over alleged deals regarding prosecutorial reform. The party filed a defamation complaint with police against journalist Jang In-su, who claimed on a YouTube program that there had been a backroom agreement to cancel prosecutions in exchange for